Second chances
by helenoftroy2107
Summary: AU; Set after 2x22 the medicine Stefan gets from Klaus turns out to be fake and Damon is not cured
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

**AN: I know I am awful posting another new story before updating Beauty and the Beast but i promise I'd post the update soon. **

**Second chances**

Chapter 1

Katherine was gone. Her gloating still sounded in Elena's ears. She tried to ignore it. There was no use wallowing over her words. They were poisonous and meant to hurt. Instead, she focused on the bottle in her hand. The cure. Stefan had paid with his being, his freedom for it. Elena only hoped that Damon appreciated it.

She turned to him surprised he was not up yet. She raised her eyebrows.

"Don't you feel better?" she asked.

"No" his voice was strained. "I don't think it is working."

"What do you mean it is not working?" Elena was starting to panic. "It has to work. I can't lose you both."

Damon smiled weakly.

"Perhaps I should take a little more."

She handed him the bottle but he shook his head. It was too much of an effort to move. And it was too painful. Elena sighed and sat on the bed. She eased him up and brought the bottle to his lips. To her greatest surprise he obediently drank. _"__He __must __really __be __feeling __awful.__" _she thought. Her hopes went up as he drank because he seemed to be ok. But only after a few sips he started coughing badly and pushed her hand with the bottle away.

"What is it?" Elena asked.

"I can't take anymore" whispered Damon letting his head drop on her shoulder.

Truth be told he looked if possible even worse. He was pale, his pupils dilated, cold sweat running down his face. Elena felt he was shivering. She sighed and eased him carefully back on the bed. Although she tried to be as gentle as possible he still flinched with pain.

Elena rose and brought another blanket to wrap him in.

"Maybe the cure takes some time to have any effect. Why don't you try and get some sleep? You may feel better when you wake up." she suggested.

"I hope" Damon obediently closed his eyes and his ragged breathing slowed a little bit.

Elena rose quietly and retreated from the room.

"Or I may not wake up at all" Damon whispered when he was sure she could not hear him.

...

A few hours latter Elena entered Damon's room, her fingers crossed. Her hope faded when she saw him though. He was still in bed, shivering and obviously in pain. His pale face had become ashen.

"I don't think it's working" Elena whispered dejectedly.

"No" Damon's answer was barely audible.

"I am sorry" she murmured as she settled next to him brushing the sweat off his forehead with a towel.

"No" he caught her hand. "I am sorry that Stefan had to sacrifice all he had for nothing. It wasn't worth it. I wasn't worth it." he added.

"Don' t talk like that!" Elena exclaimed. "It is not true."

"It is true and you know it as well as I do" he pulled away from her. "Leave me, please." he whispered with his eyes closed.

Elena sighed and left the room.

...

Back in the parlour she paced back and forth desperately. She couldn't just leave him die. She couldn't take another grave to mourn especially now that Stefan was lost to her. And she had grown to love Damon in a way. She had to at least try and help him. But she couldn't do it alone. She needed help. Picking up her phone she called the only person whom she could count on.

"Rick, I need you help. Damon needs your help."

...

Less than an hour latter the trio was gathered in the parlour.

"So now Klaus has Stefan and Damon is still going to die?" Caroline asked.

"Yes" Elena nodded gravely. "And Katherine is on the loose again."

"We need Bonnie" Alaric said quietly.

"It is absurd, Rick" Elena nearly shouted. "Bonnie hates Damon. She'd never agree to help."

"But she is our only hope" Caroline pointed out. "So we have to make her agree."

"There is nothing any of us can do to help Damon. We can just sit and watch him fade and die, Elena. Bonnie's the only one with the ability to change the situation." Rick interfered.

"But..." Elena seemed to be trying to come up with another reason why calling Bonnie was a bad idea. But Caroline interrupted her.

"We don't have a choice. We've got to call her" she said and picked her phone.

...

"There should be something you can do" Caroline nearly shouted in the receiver. "Look, Bonnie, I know how you feel about this but you've got to help. Come here as fast as you can and bring Emily's book with you, will you?"

Caroline huffed with annoyance as she hung up. She took a deep breath and turned to the other two with a smile.

"She is on her way."

Ten minutes later Bonnie stormed in the house with Emily's Grimoire in hand. Caroline met her with a smile and grabbed the book.

"You can't make me do this, Elena." Bonnie turned to her friend with accusation.

"I...I" Elena seemed at a loss about what to say.

"There is no cure. I don't know a spell that can set this right. You've got to understand that I can't help." Bonnie seemed overly agitated.

Rick watched her reaction carefully, his head tilted to the side. Sometimes the young witch could be very stubborn. So much that she reminded him of Damon. That in itself was saying a lot.

"HA" Caroline's shriek made them all jump. "Look what I found."

She handed the book to Bonnie who scanned the text skeptically.

"I don't know, Caroline. It sounds too far fetched. I don't think it would work." Bonnie shook her head.

"Well, I don't understand what this is" Caroline said. "But it says "werewolf bite" and "cure". If there is even the slightest chance that this might help we have to try."

Bonnie just stared desperately at Caroline.

"Yes" Elena suddenly joined in. "It could be our only hope to save Stefan. We won't stand a chance without Damon's help."

"I am sorry, Elena"

Bonnie seemed broken. She took a step back as though to leave. At that moment Caroline rushed at her and cornered her by the nearby wall. Bonnie looked at her surprised.

"Caroline, what has gotten into you?"

"You are my friend, aren't you?" Caroline asked seriously.

"Yes" Bonnie answered without hesitation even though she was taken aback by Caroline's seriousness. Both Alaric and Elena observed the scene without daring to breath.

"And you love me, right?"

"Of course! How can you even ask?"

"Then if it is true you've got to at least try and help Damon. After all, he got hurt while trying to protect me." Caroline's tone was so insistent that Bonnie's automatic response froze on her lips. She took a deep breath and looked up at the blonde vampire girl.

**Reviews, please!**

**AN: Tell me if you think I should continue this. I am still not sure if I should go on so I would like to know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I don't own anything!

**Thanks for the awesome reviews! **

Chapter 2

Caroline looked down at Bonnie's face intently expecting the young witch's answer. Bonnie seemed desperate and sad. For some unknown reason her eyes shone with tears. Caroline prayed inside that she didn't try to resist anymore. Her vampire senses told her that Elena and Alaric stood frozen with expectation just like herself.

Bonnie lowered her eyes and took another deep and shuddering breath.

"Alright, Caroline" Bonnie said in the end. "I'll do it. But!" She waved her finger at the blonde haired vampire. "I don't want you to blame me if it doesn't work. I assure you, I'll do my best."

Caroline gave her a dazzling smile and hugged her.

"Thank you, Bonnie! I knew I could count on you!"

Alaric smiled almost imperceptibly. Bonnie hadn't argued as passionately as he had expected. On the contrary, she had agreed to do it easily. That was surprising considering the fact that she usually set Damon on fire just on principle. Maybe she didn't hate the bastard that much. Interesting thought. Elena sighed with relief next to him.

Bonnie stepped around Caroline and approached the couch where Emily's Grimoire was still laying open. She took it with reverence and carefully studied the page. Her eyes were skimming the text fast and seemed totally engulfed. Her lips moved silently as she enumerated ingredients or memorized instructions. No one dared to speak in fear of breaking her concentration.

Bonnie kept on reading for a few minutes and when she finally raised her head ahe looked first at Elena then at Caroline as if counting.

"Ok" she said as she grabbed her car keys. "I need to grab a few things" she turned to Caroline. "And I need you to bring me Tyler."

"But" Caroline began.

"I don't care how you do it just get him here. We don't have much time." and she rushed out.

"Ok" Caroline sounded thoughtful as she exited the house after Bonnie.

Elena turned to Alaric with her eyebrows raised. He just shook his head.

"I don't have any idea what she has in mind."

...

Neither Bonnie nor Caroline were back yet so Elena decided she would give Damon some blood before they arrived. She grabbed a blood bank and together with Rick they headed to Damon's room.

When they entered he was in bed with his back to the door. He didn't look up when they approached and that scared them a bit.

"Damon" Elena called quietly but he didn't move.

She froze in her tracks, dread clearly visible on her face. Rick took a deep breath and turned Damon around. He moaned and although he opened his eyes his gaze wasn't focused and he didn't seem to recognise them. Alaric let the breath he was holding.

Damon looked worse than he had before. He was ashen faced, his eyes unfocused and although he was shivering with fever his hands were stone cold. Rick thought he didn't have long to live yet and if Bonnie had something in mind she'd better hurry up. But he wasn't going to say it to Elena. She was already shaken enough.

"I don't think we'd manage to give him any blood." Rick turned to Elena.

She nodded without saying a word and took the glass to the kitchen. Rick sat on the bed and pulled Damon to him.

"Don't you dare die on me" he whispered.

Damon just murmured something incoherent and moaned in pain.

...

On her way back from the kitchen Elena heard voices in the parlour. She stopped in her tracks afraid that someone might walk in on them at the wrong moment. Then she recognized the voices. Those were Caroline and Tyler arguing.

"Bonnie said she needed your help" Caroline insisted. "And you are going to do as she says."

"I can't just go in there, Caroline" Tyler shouted.

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

"Come on" Caroline whined. "Nobody's going to hurt you."

"You don't understand" Tyler tried to sound calm. "This is all my fault. I bit him and it is all happening because of me. I can't even begin to imagine how much he hates me."

"I think you are exaggerating" Caroline replied. "And it is not only your fault cause he stood in your way to protect me."

She was silent for a moment.

"Plus, all this should be another reason for you to want to help. Consider it your way to say you are sorry."

Tyler didn't respond immediately.

"Alright. I just hope he doesn't rip my head off."

Caroline chuckled as the front door closed. The both entered the living room. Tyler seemed taken aback by Elena's presence.

"Is Bonnie back?" Caroline asked a bit worried.

"No" Elena answered. She sighed "I just she'd hurry up."

...

A few minutes later Bonnie appeared carrying the book, a clean wooden bowl, a small sharp knife and a strange package which was bound tightly. Without paying attention to the curious stares directed at her, she opened her bag, took out 5 candles and placed them on the table. She carefully placed the bowl on the table too and opened the book reading the instructions once again.

Caroline, Elena, Alaric and Tyler approached her expectantly. Bonnie turned facing them all and said:

"Caroline, Elena, Tyler, I'll need a few drops of your blood."

They all seemed taken aback.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Tyler asked.

"Well, I'm not sure you'll understand me." Bonnie began uncertainly.

"Try us" Elena joined in.

Bonnie seemed unsure for a moment. Then:

"I'm going to do a spell which is similar to the ritual Klaus wanted to perform."

Caroline, Elena and Tyler started talking at the same time. Bonnie's face fell, her eyes shone with tears.

"Hey, hey, hey" Rick tried to interfere unsuccessfully. "Silence!" he shouted.

All three of them fell silent.

"Let's hear what Bonnie has to say" Alaric turned to her.

She took a deep breath and started slowly but confidently.

"As you know such a ritual would enable someone like Klaus to make others like him."

"How is this going to help Damon?" asked Caroline. Tyler was frowning.

"Well" Bonnie said. "There is no way to cure a vampire from a werewolf bite. But" she continued before anyone managed to interrupt her "the werewolf bite is not dangerous for humans. So this is what the spell will do in our case – turn Damon back into human."

"Bonnie" Elena said tentatively. "We don't have the moonstone and we need it to perform a ritual like the one Klaus attempted."

Bonnie smiled and unwrapped the package showing what it held. Alaric whistled.

"How did you get that? I thought it was destroyed."

Bonnie was still smiling.

"Klaus never got his hands on this. I made a really good duplicate with no power at all." she shrugged. "It was my way of protecting Elena" she added as though that explained it all.

"Wait a minute" Tyler exclaimed. "So you tricked Klaus! And you are still alive!"

"Yes, but that's not the point. Are you going to give me your blood or not. We don't have much time."

Tyler only nodded.

Bonnie thrust the bowl in Elena's hands somewhat forcefully and motioned to Alaric to take the candles. All 5 of them headed to Damon's room.

Once they were inside Bonnie took the candles and arranged them around the bed. Damon didn't seem to register their presence. He was delirious and he kept turning his head from side to side, murmuring something none of them could understand.

"Alright" Bonnie turned to the rest of them. "This spell will destroy the moonstone. Ultimately. If you have anything to say against it do it now."

"I think Damon has earned this with all he has done to help us." Alaric said.

Elena and Caroline nodded. Bonnie turned to Tyler.

"I have no say in this matter. It is my fault in the first place so... I don't care about the moonstone. Let's get this done."

Bonnie nodded. She took the bowl from Elena and handed out the knife. No one moved. Caroline sighed frustrated, took a step forward, bit her wrist and held it over the bowl letting a few drops fall inside. Tyler followed her and cut his palm over the bowl. When his blood mixed with Caroline's it hissed.

"That's what Klaus got wrong" Bonnie said. "He needed just a few drops of blood from the right people." she sounded sad.

Elena was the next to add her blood to the bowl. While Alaric was cleaning the knife she pierced her finger with the needle she used when she gave Stefan her blood. A wisp of smoke erupted from the bowl. Bonnie held it carefully and took the knife from Alaric. She turned with her back to them facing the bed.

Closing her eyes for a moment she lit all the candles without effort. She stepped into the circle, placed the bowl on the bed and cut her own finger. She held it over the bowl and let a few drops fall inside. Taking the bowl in both her hands she swirled the blood and started chanting slowly in Latin. Caroline handed her a glass of water and Bonnie filled the bowl. The liquid inside was of such a dark red colour it looked almost black.

Bonnie held the bowl over Damon and reached in her pocket. Still chanting she took the moonstone and held it over the bowl. As the end of the incantation approached she let the stone fall in the liquid. It erupted raining over Damon on the bed and hissed each time it touched bare skin. Damon himself seemed to get out of his stupor at that moment. His eyes were opened wide as though in panic and he tried to sit up nearly knocking the bowl out of Bonnie's hands. Next moment he had fallen back on the pillows pale and obviously unconscious. Bonnie sighed tiredly.

"Now what?" Tyler asked irritated. The whole thing seemed pretty much absurd to him.

Bonnie turned around slowly. The candles had all died out.

"And now we wait" she answered quietly.

"Wait for what?" Caroline was watching her intently.

"To see if it works"

"What do you mean?" Elena asked worriedly. "Is it possible that it doesn't work? You read it in Emily's book."

Bonnie nodded tiredly.

"Yes, but Emily had never performed it. It was just a note saying she supposed this was the way it worked."

Caroline was about to say something but Bonnie swayed dangerously. Elena and Tyler rushed forward together and led Bonnie to the living room to rest. Caroline looked at Rick.

"Go with them. See if Bonnie needs help."

She settled in the chair next to Damon's bed.

"I'll take the first watch."

Rick nodded and left the room quietly.

**Please review! Say what you think and if you want another chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

**AN:** Thanks fo rthe awesome reviews, everyone! It really means a lot to me when you say what you think about my writing! Special thanks to Vie for the rant and the observation about Bonnie! I hope you like the new chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 3

It was nearly dawn. Alaric was nodding off in the armchair next to Damon's bed. All night long, Elena, Caroline and him had taken turns watching over Damon, waiting for any change in his condition. But no such thing had occurred. As the hours went by he remained unconscious and unresponsive. On the one hand, it was good because he was no longer in pain and his condition wasn't worsening anymore. But on the other hand, the long wait was getting tedious. The anticipation and the anxiety had drained Elena's energy completely. Even Caroline was tired. After a few hours of sitting in the chair with nothing else to do but watch Damon's pale face, Alaric was almost ready to recognise defeat himself.

Bonnie had not woken up either. The spell had taken its toll and she was out cold just like Damon. All in all, things didn't seem to be going according to plan.

Rick had nearly dosed off when a noise got his attention. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was hearing the rustling of sheets.

"Damon" he was out of the chair and at the bedside in less than a second.

He was answered with a groan coming from the bundle of blankets. Alaric smiled. Damon had pulled the sheets over his head. Shaking his head Rick went to the window and closed the curtains. He returned to the bed just as two confused pain filled blue eyes stared at him.

"What happened?" Damon's voice was low and hoarse.

"You nearly died. Bonnie performed a spell in order to help you. How do you feel?" Alaric settled at Damon's side.

"Weird" Damon was trying to sit up. "Oh, my head is killing me. What did that spell involve? Cracking my skull open?" he sat up and looked around.

" Wait a moment? Why is everything so quiet and dulled? And why the hell can't I smell anything?"

Rick's face was almost apologetic.

"You see" he began. "There is no cure for a werewolf bite."

"That much I know" Damon pointed out sarcastically. "Then why am I still alive?"

"In order to save you Bonnie had to..." Alaric seemed to hesitate. "To turn you back into human." he finished half heartedly.

Damon seemed stunned. He was staring down at his hands his expression blank. Just as Alaric expected for the thunder to fall, he looked up and smiled.

"I didn't know this was possible" Damon sounded calm.

It was Alaric's turn to be surprised.

"What?" Damon asked a bit irritated. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You are not furious"

"No, actually I am not" Damon frowned at Rick. "You expected me to be."

"Well yeah" Alaric seemed at a loss for a moment. "But I'm glad you're not" he added quickly.

Damon smiled again.

"How did she do it?" he asked relaxing back on the pillows.

"She performed some sort of ritual"

"A ritual?"

"Yes, like the one Klaus attempted." Alaric tried to sound casual but failed.

"What?" Damon's eyes were wide with shock. "What was she thinking? Oh, never mind that. Where is Stefan? Why is he not dutifully waiting my awakening?"

Alaric seemed alarmed.

"Rick" Damon sat up again. "What are you not telling me?"

"You see, Damon" Alaric began. "Stefan only wanted to help you. But he didn't know how so he decided he had to ask Klaus. And Klaus agreed to give you a cure as long as Stefan remained with him. Stefan accepted. But the cure was a fake so Bonnie had to step in. Don't you remember?"

Alaric looked at Damon. He had relaxed against the headboard again and his eyes were closed.

"Stefan is still Klaus's hostage though. They have both disappeared. As far as I know they are not into town." Rick finished sadly.

Damon just sighed without opening his eyes.

...

'I smell coffee" Elena said as she entered the kitchen.

"Oh, morning" Caroline smiled at her. "I got up and thought that we'd all appreciate a cup of coffee this morning."

"Have you checked on Damon?" Elena asked as she settled at the counter near the blonde girl.

"No" Caroline answered as she busied herself with the pan. "I am kind of afraid of what I might find."

"Yeah, I know the feeling" Elena agreed.

"How's Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

"Still fast asleep" the sound of the door interrupted her.

"Morning guys" Bonnie entered the room slowly. She seemed exhausted. "Where is Tyler?"

"Bonnie!" both girls rushed at her and hugged her.

"He left early. Said he didn't want to wait for Damon to wake up and get his revenge" Caroline explained with a smile.

Bonnie huffed with amusement.

"What about Damon?" she asked. "Is he awake?"

"Not yet. Rick's keeping an eye on him" Elena interjected.

"How about some breakfast?" Caroline waved the pancakes at them effectively ending the conversation.

All three of them settled at the table.

...

The three girls had almost finished their breakfast when the door to the kitchen opened to reveal Alaric. Just as Caroline was about to ask how Damon was doing, Rick moved out of the way to let the former vampire enter the kitchen.

Damon looked pale and tired just like Bonnie but other than that he seemed ok. Elena was first to regain her composure.

"Rick, Damon, how about some breakfast?" she asked as both her and Caroline jumped up to help them settle. Bonnie remained seated, clutching her mug.

"Yes, that sounds great" Rick thankfully accepted the plate with pancakes Caroline handed him.

"Just coffee, thanks" Damon sat opposite Bonnie.

"How do you feel?" Elena asked concerned as she and Caroline settled at the table again.

"If we don't count the splitting headache and the uncomfortable lack of super senses, I'd say I'm fine." he murmured.

"What are we going to do now?" Caroline inquired suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Alaric asked between mouthfuls.

"About Stefan of course" the blonde vampire girl explained. "We can't leave him with Klaus."

"I don't know if there is anything we can do" Elena said, tears in her eyes.

"We'll find something I am sure" Alaric tried to calm her. "We just need time."

"We don't have time" Damon interrupted him.

All four of them stared at him.

"You don't know the whole sad story of Stefan's dramatic life or after life or whatever. He and Klaus go a way back. And I am afraid some of his darkest memories involve Klaus."

The others were still listening intently, shock visible in their expressions.

"Klaus has a strange influence over Stefan" Damon explained. He sounded tired and desperate. "He somehow manages to bring the worst out of my little brother. If we don't find a way to stop him soon, it will be a disaster."

The ringing silence that followed was broken by Caroline's squeal.

"I know it! We need to go to the library." her excitement was obvious.

"Oh, Caroline" Elena moaned.

Bonnie stared at her with disbelief. Alaric nearly chocked on his coffee and Damon rolled his eyes.

"Come on guys! What if we actually find something? I haven't been in the library for ages"

"Why am I not surprised?" Damon murmured under his breath.

"Elena, please!" Caroline was begging.

"OK" Elena gave up. "But we won't be long. Bonnie, why don't you stay here, have some rest?" she offered kindly.

"I'll come with you" Rick rose and headed out after Caroline, patting Damon's shoulder as he went.

"See you two later" Elena followed the other two.

"They are not going to find anything" Bonnie said with a hollow voice.

Damon looked at her surprised.

"No, they won't. Not in the library at least."

"Where then?"

"I don't know. If I'd have to make a guess, I'd say the attic though." he stood up and headed for the door.

"The attic?"

"Yes" he turned. "Stefan and I, we have an enormous library. What you see in the parlour is actually only part of it. The rest, the more shady stuff, we keep in the attic."

He stopped just before he exited.

"I am going back to bed. I advise you to do the same, Judgey."

And he left. Bonnie remained alone in the kitchen.

...

It was the late afternoon when Damon finally woke up fully. He felt much better and his head wasn't pounding anymore probably thanks to the pills he'd found in Caroline's bag. The house was quiet which meant that the others weren't back from their trip to the town yet.

Thinking that Bonnie was probably asleep, Damon made his way quietly down the hall. When he passed the door to the guest room though, he caught sight of her bag and the Grimoire. The room was empty and the bed was made. Damon smiled to himself and headed for the kitchen. It was time he and the little witch called it a truce.

A few minutes later he made his way up the stairs that led to the attic with a tray laden with food. Bonnie was sitting cross legged on the floor absorbed in an old book propped open on her lap.

"Hey, I brought you something to eat" Damon approached carefully.

"Thank you" Bonnie's voice sounded cold.

Damon left the tray at her side and settled opposite her.

"I wanted to thank you" he said. "I owe you my life. I know how you feel about me and I know you probably did this for Elena..."

"I didn't do it for Elena" Bonnie's voice was harsh.

Damon seemed taken aback for a moment.

"It sucks, doesn't it?" he said quietly.

Bonnie finally looked up, question visible in her eyes.

"It sucks when they take your help for granted. When they call you only when they need you and give you no other choice. You sometimes wonder what would happen if you lost your power. Would anyone remember about you then?"

Bonnie's eyes were full of tears but she didn't say a word.

"I know the feeling. And I know how much it hurts." he sighed as he stood up from the floor. "I just wanted you to know that I don't take what you did for me for granted and I appreciate the help. When I say it I really mean it. Thank you."

He turned and walked towards the door. A tear dropped down Bonnie's cheek and fell on the book. She reached down to brush it and scanned the text on the page. Her eyes widened.

"Damon" she screamed. "I found it."

**AN: REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!**

**What do you think Bonnie found? **

(review and I'll give you a hint)

AN: If you have any ideas or suggestions as to what should happen from now on, share and I'll try and include some of them!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Anything!

AN: Thanks to anyone who reads and reviews this story! If you like the chapter and want me to continue please leave me a message! I appreciate your opinion about my work!

Sorry it took me so long to update! I hope you forgive me and enjoy the new chapter! **Happy New Year to all!**

Chapter 4

Damon rushed back up the few steps he had descended.

"I found something" Bonnie's voice was almost frantic. She kept on pointing at the book which had tumbled of her lap and onto the floor.

"What? What is it?" Damon grasped Bonnie's shoulders. The young witch was so surprised by what she had read that she barely registered Damon's presence.

"Hey, Bonnie, look at me" Damon's voice brought her back. "What is it?" he asked calmly.

Bonnie moved out of his arms and took the old book. She turned to the page she'd been reading and pointed the paragraph that had caught her attention to Damon who was looking over her shoulder.

"_An ordinary vampire can easily be defeated by the use of vervain and killed with a wooden stake. This, however, is not so for those called the Old Ones. They are feared by humans and others alike because of their strenght and their ostensible invincibility. The Old Ones are not incapacitated by vervain and wood seems not to hurt them at all. That is why it is believed they cannot be hurt or killed by anyone or anything. They have, however, a small weakness that is not generally known by many. Even though their blood can be used as a cure to both humans and other vampires, it can become a weapon against them. Whatever fate befalls their blood, it reaches them too. If it burns, they burn." _

"Now that you read it aloud it doesn't sound like much" Bonnie commented when Damon had finished reading. She was blushing slightly. But instead of receiving some sarcastic reply as she had expected, she looked up at Damon and found he was thoughtful.

"No" he answered absent mindedly. "It is not much but..." his train of thought was interrupted by the front door. Caroline's exited voice floated upstairs as she called for them both and Bonnie found herself cursing her obnoxious friend inwardly.

"Let's go tell the others" Damon's calculating look was gone and he was businesslike as usual. Bonnie cursed once again in her mind and followed him down the stairs.

...

Half an hour later all four of them were gathered in the parlour and Damon explained what Bonnie had found. To her greatest surprise he didn't mention whose idea it was to search in the attic.

"All that sounds perfect." Alaric said. "But how is it going to help us save Stefan?"

"It's not as if we have him right here to take his blood and burn it" Caroline pointed out.

"But if he was here" Elena seemed to be thinking fast "We could use the blood as leverage to make him let Stefan go."

"All that's great" Alaric interjected with irony. "Only we can't get our hands on his blood."

"That would be tricky" Damon agreed. "But still, I am sure we can get around that."

Bonnie could swear Damon had something on his mind. Before she could ask, however, he brought up a more pressing issue.

"But how are we going to make Klaus come here?"

"Why do we have to bring him back here?" Caroline sounded terrified. "Why don't we go find him instead?" she was almost pleading.

"It's gonna be hard enough" Damon said looking at the blond vampire girl with sympathy.

"If we'd have to set a trap for him, it would be best if we do it here." Rick explained quietly.

"But..." Caroline seemed to be trying to find another reason against this. Elena put her arm around her shoulders in an attempt to calm her.

"The question is how do we draw Klaus here?" Damon overrode Caroline's blabbing.

"Elena" Bonnie's eyes were huge when they all looked at her.

"What about Elena?" Caroline asked.

"We can use Elena as bait" Bonnie suggested half heartedly.

"Absolutely impossible" Rick seemed outraged at the idea. "After all we went through to hide her. It would be mad to expose her like that."

"No, it makes sense" Damon began. "What Klaus wants most is..."

"Me" Elena interjected. "And if he hears I am still alive he'd come for me."

"Without doubt" Damon agreed.

"What do you want me to do?" Elena turned to Bonnie.

"I don't know" Bonnie seemed as though she'd start crying any moment now.

"Hey, guys" Caroline sounded thoughtful. "What about that blood Klaus send for Damon. Won't it work against him?"

"No" Damon answered.

"It won't" Alaric turned to Caroline. "It's a fake"

"If it was really his blood, it would have cured Damon" Bonnie added.

"Alright" Caroline gave up. "But how do we make him came back? He believes Elena's dead."

"Then we have to show him she is alive" Alaric said patiently. "He is bound to have left some of his cronies to keep an eye on the town."

"What do want me to do?" Elena seemed to have grasped Alaric's idea. "Parade around the town in my underwear?"

"That might not be such a bad idea" Damon pointed out.

Elena started on him with a furious expression on her face but a chuckle behind her made her stop in her tracks.

"I am sorry" Bonnie clapped her hands over her mouth trying very hard not laugh out loud. Her attempt failed completely when Damon gave her the thumbs up over Elena's shoulder. Elena looked from Bonnie giggling desperately on the couch to Damon who shrugged innocently and stormed out of the parlour banging the door to the room she used to share with Stefan shut.

"I think we'd better call it a day" Rick stood up and headed for his room too. Caroline followed him frowning slightly.

...

Next morning Caroline woke up to the scent of coffee drifting around the house. When she entered the kitchen Damon and Rick were already seated at the table. She headed straight for the coffee pot and settled in a chair with her freshly poured cup.

"Good morning to you too" Damon said sarcastically.

"Good morning" Elena sounded from the door saving Caroline from the need to answer.

"What are we doing today?" Caroline asked.

"Well," Elena began. "It seems none has a better idea so I guess I'd be parading the town. Definitely not in my underwear." She added with frown pointed at Damon.

"Pity" he returned her glare. "No need to be so cross at me. I am not coming anyway." He stood up.

"What? Why?" Elena sounded worried.

"Well, now that I am all human there won't be much use of me. Rick would be a better protector. Secondly, it would be better if we are not seen together. We are trying to trap Klaus not walk straight in his hands."

"And?" Elena asked with her eyebrows up.

"And, I have something else to do" answered Damon with a smile.

He turned to Caroline.

"Go make yourself decent. You are going with them."

"Why?"

"To keep Elena safe of course."

"Why don't you do it?"

"Because you are a vampire and I am not" Damon was grinding his teeth.

Caroline pouted and left the room.

"Keep her away from me please" Damon turned to Alaric.

He smiled and raised his cup. Elena smiled too.

"How about Bonnie?" she asked.

"She'd better get her rest. We might need her powers." Damon's voice sounded from the parlour. Then they heard him go up the stairs.

"I wonder what he's up to." Elena turned to Rick.

"No idea" he shrugged. "Though I am not sure I wanna know. It's bound to be something crazy."

Elena was about to answer when Caroline appeared ready to leave.

"Let's go" Rick led the way.

...

"I don't think this is any good." Caroline complained as all three of them settled at a bench in the town's square. The clock above them showed it was one in the afternoon.

"I hope we didn't endure all this for nothing" Elena panted.

They had gone shopping, having coffee, playing hide and seek in the park and even visited the cemetery. The last one turned out to be a bad idea because both Elena and Rick seemed to be close to tears. And despite all the going around, there was no trace of someone noticing or following them.

It was finally Caroline who had admitted defeat and offered that they had an ice cream on a bench somewhere.

"I suppose we'd just have to give up" Elena said miserably.

"Don't worry" Caroline pulled her close for a hug. "We'll think of something else."

"Girls," Rick interrupted them. "I think we are spotted. Look at that guy over there. He'd been following us for a while and now he'd pulled a cell out."

"Can you hear what he's saying?" Elena sounded exited again.

"Shh" Caroline motioned her to be quiet. Rick smiled. He could almost see how Caroline perked her ears up.

"Damn it" Caroline swore suddenly.

"What? What is it?" Alaric was immediately alert.

"He is speaking spanish. I don't understand a word of what he's saying. But he definitely said your name." she turned to Elena.

"And I think he is under compulsion" she added.

"Damon won't like this" Rick muttered. "We don't know what they are planning."

"Let's get back" Elena sounded fearful.

The other two nodded and they headed for the car.

...

When they entered the boarding house it was quiet. In the parlour Bonnie was seated on the couch, the same old book propped open on her lap. She heard them though and turned to greet them.

"How did it go?"

"We were spotted" Alaric looked around. "Where is Damon?"

"Upstairs" Bonnie watched him as he went up, taking the stairs two at a time.

"What happened?"

"We were spotted alright." Caroline said with a look towards Elena. "But we couldn't figure out what's coming next."

...

"Damon!" Alaric was taken aback by the sight that greeted him when he reached Stefan's room. Damon was seated on the floor surrounded by a pile of CDs and Caroline's laptop opened in front of him.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'll explain later. What happened in town?"

"They saw us. But the guy was speaking Spanish and Caroline couldn't make out what he said."

"Damn" Damon pushed the few CDs he had been looking at aside and got up. "There should be a way to track him."

He hurried out of the room and down the stairs with Alaric at his heels.

When he entered the parlour all three girl looked up.

"Alright, we need to find a way to track Klaus and we need to do it fast" Damon said. He sounded breathless but that just added seriousness to his words.

"I can track him" Bonnie suggested tentatively. "But I need something that has been in his possession."

All of them seemed to fall deep in thought.

"Of course" Caroline exclaimed. "The bottle with Damon's fake medicine."

Damon was about to tell her off before he realised that what she suggested could actually work. He narrowed his eyes in thought and turned to Bonnie.

"Could you do that?" he asked.

"I suppose I can" she seemed thoughtful.

"Will you do it?" his eyes were fixed on her. "Please"

The other three gazed at Damon and Bonnie who didn't seem to notice anyone around them. Something was said that only the two understood but none could say what it was.

"Yes" Bonnie answered without taking her eyes off Damon's face. He nodded his thanks.

Alaric tossed the small bottle to Bonnie.

"What else do you need?" Damon asked.

"Nothing" she seemed to have started concentrating. "Will you close the curtains, please?"

She placed the bottle on the coffee table and stretched her hand over it. With her eyes closed she started chanting in Latin, her voice going low before it suddenly went high again.

"Damon" she said without opening her eyes. "Get me a map"

He immediately handed her the map Alaric had prudently pulled out of a desk drawer. She spread it over the table and resumed her chanting. Her arm moved up and the small bottle followed its movement. It hovered over the map and tipped slightly letting a few drops of the red liquid draw a path across the map. It started from New York and headed straight to Mystic Falls. Bonnie sighed and opened her eyes.

"They are coming" she exclaimed before she passed out.

AN: REVIEWS, please, please, please (puppy dog eyes)!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

AN: the new chapter - just as promised! I hope you enjoy it! If you like it leave me a review - it gives me a boost and I'll update faster!

Chapter 5

"Bonnie" Elena called worriedly as the young witch swayed dangerously in her chair.

But Bonnie was already unconscious. Only Damon's quick reflexes saved her from tumbling on the floor. The former vampire moved forward surprisingly fast and caught her just in time. Rick noticed that he was cradling her protectively, holding her close to his chest.

Elena stared at him amazed as he stood up carefully and headed to the stairs without another word still carrying Bonnie bridal style. She turned to Caroline to ask her if she found Damon's attitude towards Bonnie a little bit odd but the blond vampire girl didn't seem to have noticed any of what had happened. She was staring transfixed at the map where the blood from the small bottle still shone brightly drawing Klaus' approach to Mystic Falls. Her eyes were wide with fear and Elena realised that Klaus was probably Caroline's worst nightmare at the moment.

Her own throat felt dry and constricted when she imagined what might happen if they failed. She wondered how much longer they would have to wait. What had Bonnie meant when she had said they were coming? When would they be in town? Who were they? Stefan and Klaus? Her thoughts strayed to Stefan. How much damage had Klaus managed to inflict? If the idea of Stefan spending time with Klaus terrified Damon so much it was bound to be bad. _"Oh, Stefan"_ she thought _"I want you back"_.

...

Rick had followed Damon upstairs to the room Bonnie occupied to see if he needed help but when he entered he found the former vampire carefully and tenderly pulling the blankets around the young Bennet witch.

"How is she?" Rick asked from the door.

"She's been testing her limits lately. But I think she'll be alright once she's rested well." Damon's voice and expression didn't show any of the surprise he was undoubtedly feeling about Rick's presence.

Damon sighed and looked away. The history teacher was sure that was something bothering the former vampire but he couldn't put his finger on it. One thing was certain though – Damon was insecure and Rick didn't like it. Damon was not easily scared. If he was afraid then perhaps they would all do better if they were all afraid too.

"What are you up to?" Rick asked quietly.

Damon shot a glance at Alaric and squared his shoulders.

"I'll have to tell you, won't I?"

"I only mean to help you, Damon. And to do that I need to know what you're planning. As crazy as it is bound to be." Rick added after a moment's thought.

"Alright. There it is. Or what I expect to happen" Damon seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment, then. "When Klaus comes here and that would be soon, he'll bring Stefan with him. You see, Klaus will most definitely anticipate a trap and Stefan is his advantage over us. On the one hand, Stefan knows us with our strengths and weaknesses; on the other hand, it is highly unlikely any of us would actually hurt Stefan unless it is absolutely necessary."

"Which it never is" Rick murmured thoughtfully.

Damon looked at him for a moment again and nodded.

"So you see that Stefan is Klaus' weapon against us. When they come here we, no I need to make Stefan turn against Klaus instead. I'd have to overpower whatever compulsion he is under or the influence of whatever amounts of human blood he had consumed to save us all, including Stefan."

"We can't leave you do this alone!" Rick was thunderstruck at the perspective.

"That's exactly what you're gonna do. I know Stefan best. There are things we've shared that might help me." Damon paused for a moment. "What I want you to do is to take the girls away. Take them somewhere safe."

"You're not sure you'd make it!" Alaric stared at Damon as though this was the first time he actually saw him. "I can't leave you."

"Please" Damon caught Alaric's hand. "Promise me you'd keep them safe!"

For a moment their eyes met and Alaric realised he had no chance of persuading Damon to give up. And besides, they had no better plan, no other plan, Alaric corrected himself. His heart heavy, he nodded.

"I promise" he smiled ruefully. "But don't expect them to like it."

...

When they left Bonnie's room Damon headed back to Stefan's room and the amazing CD collection that awaited him there. Alaric realised Damon had managed to avoid explaining the purpose of all that and smiled to himself. He had to give him that – the bastard was smart. If he wanted to keep something to himself he almost always did so. Rick turned back to the parlour to find Caroline and Elena.

Caroline was cuddled on the couch her gaze lingering every now and then to the coffee table where the map was still spread. The red liquid had sunk in the paper and had taken an ugly brownish hue. Rick shuddered as he looked at it. Elena was pacing up and down gazing absent mindedly at the titles of the books that populated row after row in the enormous library. She heard his approach and turned to him.

"How's Bonnie?" she asked concern evident in her eyes.

"Damon says she'd be alright." Alaric whispered hurriedly. "Listen, Elena, there is something I need to tell you."

"Whatever it is, you can say it out loud." Caroline interjected from the couch without taking her eyes of the map. "I'd hear it anyway."

Elena and Alaric exchanged understanding glances. It wasn't easy to talk to Caroline when she was in that mood.

"Damon wants us to leave as soon as Bonnie wakes up." Alaric spoke quietly.

"What?" Elena sounded outraged. "What about Klaus? What if he comes with Stefan?"

"I think that's exactly what bothers Damon." Caroline said evenly.

Alaric raised an eyebrow. The blond vampire Barbie seemed to be flighty but sometimes she managed to hit the matter straight to the point. Elena wasn't convinced.

"If Stefan's with Klaus he might be dangerous. It would be better if we are here to help!"

"Actually, Elena," Alaric tried to remain as calm as he could. He liked this no more than she did but he understood Damon's reasons. "He says it would be safer if we are gone."

"Where are we hiding?" Caroline's voice remain even but her despair was evident.

"I was thinking we could go to Bonnie's grandmother's house." Alaric sounded a bit unsure. "Bennet witches and all... We'd ask Bonnie when she wakes up."

Caroline turned back to the map and Elena resumed her nervous pacing in front of the bookshelves. Alaric settled in Damon's favourite chair with a sigh. It was going to be a long wait.

...

The dusk was grey and tedious when Bonnie finally awoke and agreed to let them use her Grams' place as a hideout. Alaric was scanning the lines of trees as they climbed in his car once again today. Damon had not shown to see them off but Alaric hadn't expected any different – he didn't do teary goodbyes. He got in the car and started the engine. In the seat next to him, Elena was staring straight ahead and her hands were twisting her scarf. When they pulled out of the boarding house's driveway Alaric saw Bonnie in the rear view mirror. She was staring sadly at the boarding house as though she'd never see it again. Then they took the turn and the house disappeared from view.

...

The morning came as grey as the dusk and slipped through the curtains of the house. Alaric jerked awake in the armchair where he had fallen asleep last night. Everything was quiet – it seemed the girls were still asleep. He got up slowly and headed towards the kitchen. His phone was lying abandoned at the counter and he picked it hopefully only to leave it again since there were no received calls. He himself didn't dare call.

The sounds of approaching steps made him turn and he saw all three girls entering the small kitchen. Caroline was in the same bad mood as yesterday and she settled at the table without any greeting. Bonnie seemed sad and Elena, just as expected, furious. She busied herself making coffee but Alaric was sure she was working mechanically. Sometimes he wondered which brother she actually loved.

It was Bonnie's strangled yet silent yelp that caught their attention.

"Bonnie, what is it?" Elena approached worried.

Bonnie raised her tear filled eyes at her friend.

"They are here" she whispered.

"Oh, no" Elena was frantic. "Rick, we need to get back! Now!"

Rick's heart had stopped when he heard Bonnie's words. He only nodded at Elena's request. Without any hesitation all four of them headed to the car.

...

A rustling downstairs was his only warning. Damon's head jumped up. He froze for a moment right where he was seated on the floor of Stefan's room. He hadn't slept much last night if indeed the nodding off on the floor could be called sleep at all. But he was ready. And some kind of a strange instinct told him the time has come. He was right – Klaus had brought Stefan with him. He just felt it. Damon rose silently off the floor and pressed the on button of the stereo. Then he headed to the stairs.

Even though he knew what to expect the loud music that shook the whole house made his hair stand on end. He wondered if this crazy idea would actually work or if he was walking straight to his death.

They were in the parlour right in front of the small coffee table where Bonnie had spread the map yesterday. Why did her face keep coming in his mind? He had more pressing issues at hand than the way the young Bennet witch blushed. Damon shook his head. At that moment Klaus heard his steps and turned. His face was wrinkled with distaste at the loud music from the seventies that kept on playing.

"Your human self is even more pathetic than your vampire one." he hissed at Damon. "Do you really believe you'd manage to hide her by that awful screeching that you're playing? The whole house reeks of her. Where is she?"

"Why don't you go look for her yourself, Klaus?" Damon managed to keep his voice steady and sarcastic. His hand squeezed the small vial he kept in his pocket.

Klaus bared his teeth in an evil smile.

"Why, that's exactly what I plan to do. Then I'd be back to deal with you and your little witch who thought herself so smart. You can have a small family reunion while waiting for me." he gestured to Stefan who was standing frozen a step behind him. His gaze a bit dreamy as though he was deep in a memory about times long gone, a memory that brought as much pain as happiness.

Klaus disappeared to search for Elena just as he had promised. Stefan on the other hand remained frozen on the spot, his head bent low. Damon run down the remaining steps and approached his brother carefully.

"Stefan" he asked tentatively.

Stefan raised his head and looked at his brother. His eyes held no cruelty anymore. Something in him had snapped and he was out of the trance Klaus had put him into. The music kept on playing. Stefan slowly realised why it sounded so familiar. All the songs that sounded so loud they burned a hole in his skull brought memories. Memories he had shared with Damon, moments in time when they were no longer enemies or even vampires but just two brothers having fun.

Their eyes met and a tear run down Stefan's cheek.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Shh" Damon stepped forward and embraced him quickly. "We'll talk about this later. Now we have to cope with Klaus."

"How?" Stefan seemed to be ready to do anything.

Damon brought out a knife he had been hiding and cut his wrist deep. The blood flowed immediately and Stefan started taking a step back. Damon held him still and offered him his arm.

"Take my blood. Don't ask questions." their eyes met and Stefan's hesitance disappeared. He bit deeply in his brother's wrist.

Seconds later Klaus reappeared in the parlour his eyes shining furiously. He threw Stefan away from his brother and grasped Damon by the throat almost lifting him of the floor.

"Where is she?" he hissed madly.

Stefan was standing frozen out of fear that a movement on his part might make Klaus snap Damon's neck. Hurried steps sounded from the front door and Elena appeared in the parlour closely followed by Rick, Caroline and Bonnie. Klaus turned to her with an angry glow in his eyes without letting go of Damon's throat.

That did it for Stefan. He wouldn't let him hurt Elena. He felt a tingling power inside and realised why Damon had given him his blood. Blood carried power. Even though he was now human Damon's blood still retained his former strenght. Stefan threw himself at Klaus.

Taken by surprise Klaus didn't manage to protect himself. He let go of Damon who dropped to the floor gasping for breath just as Stefan sank his teeth in his throat. Blood, Klaus' blood sprouted in the air and stained the wooden floor. At the door, all the others stood horrified and transfixed as Stefan and Klaus snarled at one another like wild animals.

No one paid any attention to Damon as he crawled towards the blood stain and brought the vial out of his pocket. A slight breeze made him look up and he saw Bonnie's lips moving. The blood on the floor got siphoned fast in the small vial. Without wasting any time Damon took a match and plunged it in the vial.

Just as Klaus was taking advantage over Stefan, he stood up and called:

"Hey, Klaus" and he lit the bloodied match.

**Please review and tell me what you think! Please (puppy dog eyes)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

**AN: Sorry for the long wait, guys! I hope you don't hate me too much but this chapter proved to be really tricky. I lost count of how many times I rewrote it so far. This is what came out in the end. I hope you enjoy it. **

Chapter 6

"Hey, Klaus" Damon called and lit the bloodied match.

It sizzled, the flame wavered and then suddenly it burned up bright and strong. Instead of turning into ash, the wood darkened but remained whole.

Klaus froze and turned, his fangs showing, his lips curled as though ready to pounce on the stupid intruder. Then he shuddered and realization hit him. He curled his lips even further and growled but didn't seem willing to risk going for Damon.

Stefan, his face bloodied both from biting Klaus and being hit by him, stood frozen, unsure of what his brother was doing. Alaric, who was feeling naked without his weapons, realised that Stefan had no idea what they had found out about Klaus's blood. And he had no way of telling him. The history teacher prayed Stefan had it together enough not to ruin whatever madness Damon had in mind. He kept a tight hold on Elena's arm but it wasn't really necessary. She stood rooted to the spot, horrified and saddened by the sight of Stefan, covered in blood, confused and broken. On Elena's left Caroline had to suppress her desire to run away because she was too busy steadying the swaying Bonnie.

"What an interesting situation we are in!" Damon pointed out. He was still holding the burning match between two fingers of his right hand and his other was carelessly stretched over towards the fireplace ready to tip the vial in the flames. "What do I do now?" his trademark smirk was flashed in Klaus's direction.

"You think you're gonna scare me, brat?" Klaus spit through gritted teeth.

"Am I not?" Damon sounded genuinely surprised. "Well, then I guess I can simply do this..." his left hand lowered the vial over the flames as though he was about to pour the blood in the fire.

Klaus's eyes turned huge and he snarled helplessly as a few drops fell in the flames and sizzled unpleasantly. He was furious but he had lost and he knew it. His eyes darted to Stefan who remained unmoving and to Elena as she clutched Alaric's arm. Damon followed Klaus's look and his gaze turned steely.

"Now you listen to me, _brat_" Damon hissed, his eyes not leaving Klaus's. "I don't think there is enough blood in here for me to kill you but it sure as hell is enough to hurt you. And I want you dead. I suggest you leave before I change my mind and I advise you never to return. Because if I ever see you again I promise you I'll torch you myself. Am I clear?" his hand was still hovering over the flames.

Klaus's eyes narrowed into slits but he didn't attack as Alaric had expected. He turned and with one last angry hiss at nobody in particular he fled.

When he heard that the front door slammed shut, Alaric let the breath he was holding. He could swear all of them did. It seemed the part that all of them were dreading was over but none moved as if it was difficult for them to process what had actually happened. Rick didn't believe for a second it was over only he didn't know what would come next.

It was Bonnie who finally moved first. She approached Damon carefully and held out her hand. The former vampire stared at her incomprehensively. Bonnie sighed with frustration.

"Give it to me" she ordered.

"Give you what?" Alaric could swear that Damon was secretly having fun.

"The vial, of course, you moron! Or you want to break it and waste all my efforts?" the young witch raised her eyebrows suggestively, obviously challenging Damon to lash out at her.

He gave her a crooked smile and obediently handed her the small vial. Bonnie took it and started chanting under her nose:

"Fes Matos Salve Nas Ex Malon. Et Vasa Quo Ero Signos"

The bottle's cap sealed itself tightly shut and a strong leather string wrapped around its top. Bonnie lowered her hands still clutching the vial and raised her eyes to look at Damon. A thin line of blood shone on her upper lip. Just as Damon worriedly registered it, her gaze became unfocused and she passed out.

...

When she came around, Bonnie found herself lying on something soft. It turned out to be the couch in the Salvatore boarding house. As she slowly got her bearings she realised that the annoying sound that had woken her up was the hushed voices of her friends. At first she couldn't exactly remember how she had lost consciousness but then her eyes fell on Stefan and the events of the morning came back as though in a blur. Klaus had been there and Damon had managed to get his blood. Stefan was back. The vial. She remembered trying to put a spell on the vial containing Klaus's blood to make it unbreakable and to seal it shut but had it worked? The last thing that came to her mind was Damon's worried face right above her. She had to make sure the vial was protected.

She sat up sharply and the world started spinning madly. A hand steadied her almost tenderly and a familiar voice sounded in her ear.

"Take it easy, Judgey. You gave us quite a fright."

Bonnie turned her head to look at Damon's face. He was smiling genuinely at her and his gaze held concern and something else Bonnie couldn't exactly put her finger on. It struck her how quickly she had gotten used to being around Damon considering how much she believed she hated him. There was something in him she just couldn't resist.

"Bonnie, are you ok?" Elena's anxious voice sounded on her other side.

Bonnie turned around to find herself staring at her best friend's pale face. Elena's eyes shone with tears and she held Stefan's hand so tight one would think she feared he might disappear again.

"I am fine, Elena" Bonnie smiled reassuringly at her friend. "How are you doing, Stefan?" she turned to him in greeting.

Stefan seemed sad and somewhat distant. Bonnie wondered what he had gone through in the few days he had been with Klaus. She didn't dare ask but she thought that Stefan was going through some sort of an internal struggle and the young witch was ready to bet it didn't bode well. He held out his hand to her and the corners of his mouth turned slightly up as a ghost of a fake smile crossed his face when she took it.

"You need rest" Damon's voice sounded full of reproach from her other side. "You've strained yourself too much. All of the spells you perform lately require a lot of power" there was a guilty note in his words.

Bonnie was taken by surprise at Damon's concern but before she could answer Alaric and Caroline entered the room. They were both carrying trays with cups of tea, food and even two glasses of blood.

"Bonnie, you're awake!" Caroline's cheerfulness was almost infectious. Bonnie couldn't hold back her own smile at the blonde haired vampire. Alaric greeted her with "You ok, Bonnie?" before he placed the tray he was holding on the table and settled in Damon's favourite chair.

...

Soon all of them were settled around the small table where Bonnie had spread the map for the locator's spell just a mere day ago. They were talking, cheering and relaxing but Alaric sensed the tension coming from Stefan. At first he thought it was due to everything that had happened and that it would slowly wear off. But as the afternoon went on he could swear things were slowly slipping out of control.

"Don't you want some, Stefan?" Caroline offered him a glass of blood as nonchalantly as she could. Damon's bloody wrist was loosely bound was a piece of cloth but the wound was fresh and Caroline could smell the alluring aroma. She was sure Stefan sensed it too and she knew he was on edge. Her method of distraction remained fruitless as Stefan gritted his teeth and shook his head.

The things that happened afterwards rolled on so fast that Caroline couldn't really follow through. Damon reached over the small table to grab a cookie from one of the trays with his injured arm and the loose bandage that covered his wound fell off. The smell of the blood hit Caroline's nostrils real hard and she had to fight back her urge to sink her fangs in warm flesh. She had closed her eyes in attempt to get a grip on herself when she felt a sudden motion in front of her. She opened her eyes to see Stefan lunging forwards, sending the small table flying as he threw himself as his brother. Damon tried to pull back but he stood no chance. Stefan grabbed him in an iron grip and sank his teeth ferociously at Damon's unprotected neck. Damon gasped in both surprise and pain but Stefan didn't seem to care. His desire for blood had won over his human part.

The quiet atmosphere of the afternoon was completely shattered. Elena was screaming, Alaric was shouting and he and Caroline nearly collided in their attempts to get Stefan away from Damon in time. Caroline got there first but Stefan threw her back with a surprising amount of strenght. When she struggled to get back to her feet so she could join Rick again Caroline felt a strange pressure in her ears. Her gaze fell on Bonnie and she immediately knew that the young witch was using her powers. Stefan suddenly stopped fighting Rick and stepped back letting go of his brother. Damon slipped to the floor, his uninjured hand going instinctively to his neck. He watched as his younger brother fell to his knees, hands pressed to his ears as he moaned loudly.

"Bonnie" Elena's anxious voice brought the witch out of her trance. She looked up at the same moment as Stefan and sunk at the chair behind her with a sigh. Stefan's gaze returned to focus and terror showed on his face as he took in the damage he had inflicted. A tear slipped down his cheek then he run to his room with vampire speed and slammed the door shut. The last thing they heard before the door cut off the sounds was his strangled sob. Elena jumped out of her seat and followed him, desperation clearly visible on her face.

"Come on" Alaric approached Damon and held out his hand. Damon took it and the history teacher pulled the former vampire to his feet. The older Salvatore brother still kept his hand on his neck. Alaric just shook his head and pulled Damon's other hand over his shoulder before slowly leading him away from the mayhem in the parlour. When they reached Damon's room, he extricated himself from Alaric's grip and approached his door.

"I am fine. Just leave me alone" and he slipped inside before Rick could stop him.

...

Elena stood in front the locked door of Stefan's room not really sure what to do after everything that had just happened. She knew that Stefan was most likely aware of her presence and the fact that he didn't open the door didn't encourage her a lot. She raised her hand and knocked.

"Go away, Elena" Stefan sounded so broken that Elena completely forgot what she wanted to say. All she could think about was that the love of her life needed her.

"I won't, Stefan. Open the door"

"Why are you still wasting your time with me?" the pain was evident in his words.

"I am not giving up on you, Stefan" Elena couldn't bear his suffering. If only she knew how to make him open the door.

"Can't you see I am a lost case?" there was anger in Stefan's voice. "A few days on human blood and I lose control. My brother wanted to help and you saw the way I repaid him. I have turned into a monster!" the self loathing made Elena bang on the door again.

"I don't believe this" she screamed. "You are the man who saved the girl from that car in the lake, you are the one who helped me find myself again, you are the one who risked everything to protect me from Klaus, you are the one who was ready to sacrifice his life to save his brother" she stopped to take her breath. Her words were greeted by stony silence from the other side of the locked door. "I can't accept that all this is gone. I can't accept that the man I love is gone" she sobbed quietly but she was sure Stefan could hear her.

The silence stretched. Then the lock clicked and the door slowly swung open. Stefan stood there disbelief written on his tear streaked face.

"You still love me?"

"Oh, Stefan" Elena rushed forward and embraced him tightly. He buried his face in her shoulder and inhaled her scent deeply.

She carefully led him further into the room and settled at the head of his bed. He curled up at her side and cried, his head resting in her lap, her fingers slowly stroking his hair.

"Shhh, it's ok, Stefan" she kept on repeating. "It's all going to be ok"

...

Rick returned back to the parlour since he knew it was useless to stand there and bang on Damon's door. If he wanted help, he'd ask for it. Caroline and Bonnie were busy settling the small table again and cleaning the shards from the broken glasses. When he entered the room, they both looked at him.

"What happened?" Caroline asked with concern.

"He locked himself in his room. Didn't even let me help him with the wound" Alaric shrugged. "He'd come around. Both of them will."

Caroline nodded. Bonnie, on the other hand, seemed unsure for a moment. Then she threw the towel she was using to get the blood out of the couch and rushed out of the parlour.

"Bonnie!" Caroline called after her but the young witch didn't pay attention to her. "Where did she go?" the blonde vampire girl turned to Rick with confusion. He just shook his head not wanting to think about what could go wrong next.

...

Damon was sitting on his bed, his hand still pressing the wound on his neck absentmindedly. Blood was dripping from between his fingers but he didn't seem to notice. His thoughts were numb and he couldn't really tell what he was feeling. His whole being was paralyzed with shock and he felt insecure. The mere notion scared him more than the pain itself. Damon Salvatore wasn't insecure, he didn't need help and he never wanted anyone's pity.

A slight knock on the door took him by surprise and before he could rudely send the intruder away the door opened and the young witch slipped in.

"I am fine. I don't need help. You can go" he didn't know why but the thought of Bonnie seeing him helpless made him burn with anger and shame.

"I am not here to pity you" Bonnie approached him without any hesitation.

Damon smiled sourly to himself. Without knowing, the young witch had hit straight to the point. Or maybe she knew?

"Then what do you want?" he asked frowning, suddenly very aware of the blood dripping between his fingers.

"To repay my debt" she answered after a moment's thought. "You helped me when I strained myself too much these days and its my turn to return the favour" she seemed to notice his frown because she added. "It's only fair."

He shrugged unhappily but didn't protest when she pushed his fingers away from his neck and started cleaning the wound. A few minutes later his neck and his wrist were both bandaged and the blood was washed away. Damon couldn't deny that part of his shock was wearing off under Bonnie's gentle ministrations and he suspected she knew what an effect she was having on him. After all, she wasn't surprised when he slipped in bed and didn't push her away when she settled by his side and just held his hand. A strange peace was settling over him when she was around and her presence alone was enough to sooth him though how that was possible he couldn't tell. He couldn't dwell much on that because soon the tiredness, the shock and the loss of blood overcame him and he realised he was drifting off to sleep. He could swear the last thing he felt before he sank in the deep abyss of unconsciousness was her soft lips on his forehead but he couldn't tell if he wasn't just dreaming.

...

Katherine swirled around when the door of her hotel room was opened with such a force it nearly flew of its hinges. Klaus's face was distorted with fury and she believed he'd actually kill her.

"I want him dead!" Klaus hissed. "I want that spoilt brat _Damon_ dead!"

"Why? What did he do to get you so angry, love?" Katherine purred, happy that she wasn't the reason for Klaus's madness.

"It doesn't matter!" Klaus snapped. Then he turned with a calculating look on his face. "You told me once, love, that you knew of someone who'd be happy to rid me of that insolent, meddling son of a bitch. Do you still happen to keep in touch with that person?"

"No" Katherine sensed the storm coming. "But I am sure I can find him"

"Do it for me, love" Klaus stroked her cheek tenderly. "But please don't disappoint me" he added as he moved away from her.

"_Or I'll be dead"_ she thought as she made her way out.

**Please review and tell me what you think!**

**AN: I wonder whether I should really go on with this story because it strays too far from season 3 of the TV show. Do you want me to keep going? Please, do tell! Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

Chapter 7

_Two days later – early morning_

The sparkling rays of morning sunlight crept through the half closed curtains of the French windows and danced across the enormous bed. Damon stirred, turned on his back and groaned as he shielded his eyes from the light. His gaze fell on the bedside table where his daylight ring was lying abandoned. It was strange to be able to stand in the sun without it, to feel the warmth without the burning pain. Strange, but yet nice, exhilarating.

Then, he was fully awake and he groaned again as his still bandaged hand went to his still hurting neck. So much for the attractiveness of being human again. It was three days since Stefan had bitten him and he was not healed yet. At least the dizziness from the blood loss was gone. Damon cursed inwardly for it because the events of that evening were in some kind of a blur. No matter how hard he tried to remember he couldn't tell what was real and what – a whim of his imagination.

His fingers slowly reached his forehead and he cursed once again. He could swear he felt the ghost of a kiss the other night but he was so out of it, he could have easily been dreaming. And his heart cringed at the thought. For some reason unknown it was extremely important for him that the young Bennet witch liked him. For the past few days he had found himself thinking about her more often than it was normal. He was astounded by the amount of things he seemed to have noticed about her – the way her eyes shone when she laughed, or how she narrowed them when she concentrated, or the way her skin flushed when she was excited. He knew he could go on like that for a while. It was odd.

His thoughts drifted to Stefan and he sighed inwardly. He hadn't seen his little brother ever since Stefan had bitten him and it killed him to know Stefan believed he was angry. Truth be told Damon hadn't been angered by his brother's doing at all, which surprised him a lot. Back when he was a vampire he would have ripped his brother in half for an attack like that but now he couldn't even bring himself to be properly offended. Anger wasn't the reason why he avoided Saint Stefan, nor was Elena for that matter.

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts and he froze. `Stefan was standing right outside of the door and his hand was already on the handle. Damon didn't dare breathe. He wasn't ready to talk to his little brother. Just as the soft knock sounded on the door again and the handle started to turn, Damon heard a car arriving at the house's driveway. Stefan's footsteps headed away towards the stairs and the front door. Damon let the breath he was holding.

...

Elena approached the boarding house's door with determination. She had woken up this morning hoping that today she'd manage to make Stefan relax more. He had been very upset about the whole human blood business and Elena had to agree with Caroline he needed distraction. Just as she reached for the handle, the door swung open and she almost jumped backwards in alarm.

"Oh, I am so sorry" Stefan's shoulders drooped. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's alright, Stefan. I just didn't expect it" Elena's heart cringed as she saw the self deprecation in Stefan's eyes.

She smiled and took a step towards him. Her hopes dwindled as she saw him back away from her, keeping the distance between them. She sighed and entered the house.

"Do you have any plans for today?" Elena asked casually.

"No" Stefan smiled, a ghost of his previous self showing for a moment. "But I think you have something on your mind."

"How about going to the lake house?" she offered tentatively. "Just the two of us."

"I...I don't know, Elena." Stefan's voice was pained. "I'm not sure you should be alone with me."

"I trust you completely" Elena said. She took a quick breath and continued before Stefan could interrupt her. "You might not be sure of yourself but you can trust me. We'll cope with this together."

She took a step forwards and cupped his face before he could step back.

"You'll be alright."

He smiled and kissed her hands. His fangs showed and Stefan tried to pull away from Elena but she held him in place and gently stroke the capillaries around his eyes. He took a deep breath and his fangs slowly retracted. His face returned back to normal. A slow smile crept across his lips and he suddenly pulled Elena in a tight embrace. She squealed with surprise but hugged back nonetheless. They stood holding each other for a while and when they finally pulled away she asked grinning:

"I take it this is a yes?"

Stefan frowned a little.

"I am not sure. I...I haven't spoken to Damon ever since I bit him. I haven't even seen him."

"He'll be ok, I'm sure" Elena smiled. "And if he hasn't called by lunchtime to tell me off for letting you out of his sight and you're still worried, we can call Rick. If anyone's capable of coaxing Damon out of his den, it's him."

Stefan chuckled involuntarily.

"Alright"

They walked hand in hand to Elena's car.

...

"Hi" Caroline beamed at Bonnie. "What's up?"

"I am glad Math's finally over" Bonnie sighed frustrated.

"That bad?" Caroline tried to be sympathetic even though she failed completely.

"Don't even ask" Bonnie was still fuming. "There's a chance I get a fail"

"Oooh"

Bonnie narrowed her eyes and Caroline changed the subject before she risked getting an aneurism.

"Where is Elena today? I haven't seen her"

"She said she'd skip school today" Bonnie shrugged. "I guess she and Stefan want some time alone" the young witch smiled. "And I think Elena liked your idea of Stefan distraction."

"You think they'd go to the lake house?" Caroline sounded doubtful.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Well," the blond haired vampire pulled a face. "I don't believe Damon will let them."

"As far as I got it, Damon hasn't spoken to Stefan at all" Bonnie suddenly became serious and worried. "Elena said he hadn't even left his room while Stefan's in the house."

"I am sure he'll be ok" Caroline answered frowning. "He always is"

"I don't know, Care" Bonnie bowed her head. "He was pretty shocked the other night."

"Are you actually worried for Damon Salvatore, Bonnie?" Caroline exclaimed. "Aren't you "mortal enemies" or it's a hate/love thing?"

"What are you talking about, Caroline?" Bonnie frowned. "There is nothing between us."

"Oh, come on. We all saw the gazing and the flirting. And all those half spoken conversations."

"You are making it up!" Bonnie seemed outraged. "As if we don't have enough to worry about!"

She stormed away, fuming, leaving Caroline to stare after her in surprise.

...

"You still worried?" Elena approached Stefan who was standing on the quay and gazing absentmindedly at the water.

He turned when he felt Elena wrap her arms around him from behind and embraced her.

"Yes" he sighed in the end. "It's not typical for Damon to hide and I don't know what to do to make it better. After all it's my fault."

Elena opened her mouth to say something but Stefan gently stroked her lips with his thumb to silence her.

"And I don't think Damon actually wants to talk to me" he sighed again.

"Call Rick" Elena pulled her phone and handed it to Stefan. "I believe he can help."

Stefan bent quickly to kiss her on the lips and took the cell gratefully. Elena turned and went back to the house leaving Stefan alone. He quickly found Rick's number and hit the dial. The history teacher answered after the third ringing.

"Hi, Rick, sorry to bother you"

"Stefan" Rick's voice sounded tense. Elena had told him she planned on taking Stefan to the lake house and his heart raced as he contemplated what might have happened. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything is ok. Elena's ok" Stefan answered.

Alaric smiled as Stefan had obviously read his mind.

"Actually," Stefan continued "there is something you can do for me."

"Sure, go ahead"

"Well, Damon seems quite angry at me. He's been avoiding me and I've been worried. Could you please go check on him?"

"Yeah," Rick replied without hesitation. "I'll go straight to the boarding house."

"Thank you" Stefan sounded relieved. "I know he'd listen to you."

"Say hi to Elena from me" Rick said before he hung up.

...

Twenty minutes later Alaric parked his car outside the boarding house. The place seemed quiet and calm and he wondered if Damon was indeed there. He knocked on the front door and when nobody answered he pushed it open and entered. There was nobody in the parlour or the kitchen and Alaric headed straight for the stairs.

When he reached Damon's room he hesitated at the door not wanting to awake him. But then he remembered Stefan's worry and knocked confidently at the door. He didn't wait for an answer and slipped inside the great room.

Damon had pulled an armchair and had settled in front of the huge French window. When he heard the door click shut he looked up alarm visible on his face. Alaric smiled and he relaxed.

"Hi, Rick"

"Hi" Rick pulled another chair and settled opposite Damon. "You haven't called and I thought I might check on you"

Damon smirked.

"You worried about me?"

"No" Alaric smirked as well. "But I miss your company" he pulled the two beers he had been hiding in his pocket and tossed one to Damon.

"So how have you been" Rick's gaze traveled to Damon's bandaged hand and the wound on his neck.

Damon caught his eyes and smiled.

"I am fine" he saw the disbelief in Alaric's gaze. "I am fine really. Physically at least" he added as an afterthought.

Alaric just raised his eyebrows.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Rick" Damon was turning the beer can in his hands.

"Share" Rick raised the can. "Might be able to help"

Damon smiled and shook his head but started talking anyway. His eyes didn't meet Alaric's.

"I guess it all goes back to Emily."

"Emily Bennet? Why?"

"You see back when Katherine turned us I struck a deal with Emily. She had to save Katherine and in return I had to keep her children alive. I guess she knew the founders would go after her and her family because she made me swear I'd save her kids."

Damon fell silent for a moment and Rick wondered where this story would lead to. There was so much he didn't know about the older Salvatore brother. The history teacher wasn't sure Stefan knew all there was to know about Damon either. Damon's voice brought him back to the present.

"That's why I didn't kill Bonnie when she destroyed the crystal. It would have wasted all my efforts."

Damon finally looked up to meet Rick's eyes.

"She is the last of the direct Bennet line."

"So what?" Rick was confused. "She has power alright, but..."

"I gave my word to Emily that I would protect her bloodline. I guess I didn't sound truthful enough because she warned me. I had to keep to my word since it would be the last of her bloodline who will decide my fate and yet that last Bennet witch would turn out to be my fortune."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alaric was captured.

"I didn't quite understand it myself until a few days ago. Because you see, Bonnie saved my life with that spell of hers so in a way she decided my fate. I don't know what the fortune part's supposed to be though." he added.

"And it worries you because?"

"I... I am not sure what it means but I can't stop thinking about the little witch. I picture her in my mind even now, I dream about her, almost every word I hear I somehow manage to associate with her. I want to see her smile and when she does smile it warms my heart. I am confused. Why can't I rid myself of her?"

Alaric was smiling, the beer in his hand completely forgotten. When Damon finished his speech, the history teacher couldn't help himself but laughed. It earned him the typical Damon-glare which only made him laugh more.

"What? You seem to find something funny? What is it?" Damon didn't sound at all happy.

"Well," Rick began as though he was explaining to a five year old why the sky was blue "the way you describe your symptoms I'd say you are in love."

Damon just glared at him.

"Aren't you?" Rick was still smiling.

"I don't know" Damon looked away for a moment. "Why are you here anyway? Did Stefan send you?"

Alaric couldn't deny Damon was smart enough to know how he had ended up there.

"As a matter of fact, yes. He did send me. And I was worried myself"

"You don't need to keep an eye on me for my baby brother. I am fine" Damon sounded somewhat cross.

"Can't you cut him a little slack?" Alaric was starting to get angry. "He's been through enough and he needs his brother. And what are you doing about it? Hiding in your room as a sulky teenager!" he got up and headed to the door.

Rick paused in the doorway for a second but Damon didn't look his way. He was gazing out of the window too deeply lost in thought.

...

Katherine entered the bar confidently. It wasn't her first visit to this place and she hoped she'd be lucky enough to find whoever she was looking for there. Her gaze swept the room and she noticed a familiar figure at the bar. She smiled and headed straight for him.

The man didn't look up when she settled at the bar stool next to him.

"We haven't seen in a while" she purred seductively.

The man finally looked up at her and snorted.

"Look what the cat dragged in" he murmured.

Katherine narrowed her eyes.

"Klaus wants you to do him a favour" she said.

"Really" the man sounded sarcastic. "What is so urgent that requires my expertise?"

"He wants Damon Salvatore dead." Katherine was sure she had finally caught his attention.

"He is stronger than me or I would have taken care of it long ago" he pointed out.

"Not anymore" Katherine smiled seductively again. "He's been turned back into human."

A slow smile crept on the man's face.

"I'm in" he hissed.

...

Back in the boarding house Stefan was sitting in front of the fire place thinking of the wonderful day he'd spent with Elena. The evening was quiet and it helped him feel almost back to his normal self. He only wished Damon would finally talk to him. The sound of approaching footsteps brought him out of his thoughts.

"Hey" Damon sounded a little unsure.

"Hi" Stefan turned to look at his brother.

Damon came to sit on the couch with Stefan.

"Look, I am sorry" Stefan began. "I didn't want to..."

"It's alright" Damon replied calmly. "I am not angry. Actually, I am the one who has to say sorry. You needed me, I bailed on you."

Stefan shook his head.

"How was your day?" Damon asked.

"Great" Stefan smiled. "Elena took me to the lake house and we had a wonderful time. You?"

"Fine" Damon fell silent again.

"Listen" Stefan looked at his brother. "I wanted to ask if you've taken vervain, because now that you're human..." he trailed off.

"No I haven't" Damon replied. "But I'll take some if it will make you feel better."

Stefan nodded and raised to get them a drink. He returned with two glasses and handed one to Damon. The two brothers drank together. Stefan pulled a face but swallowed nonetheless. Damon brought the glass to his lips and drank deeply. Next moment he spit the water and coughed violently.

"What happened?" Stefan was immediately at his side, worry written on his face.

"It burns" Damon rasped. "The vervain"

"But you are not a vampire" Stefan was confused as he rubbed his brother's back while Damon kept on coughing. "Why is it affecting you that way?"

"I don't know" Damon panted "but I don't think it will actually protect me from being compelled."

**Any reviews are appreciated! I love to know what you think of my work!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own the VD.** If I did Alaric would still be alive.

Chapter 8

"I think this passed pretty well" Stefan smiled when the gang gathered after the history final.

"Speak for yourself" Caroline scoffed. "I have never been good with dates"

"Oh, come on Care" Matt laughed at his girlfriend. "Mr Saltz...Ric actually gave us an easy one."

"Yeah, and it's good that he did" Elena joined in. "With everything else on our hands..."

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me" Caroline had just told Matt everything and he was still processing the information.

"We just wanted to keep you safe" Bonnie interjected seriously. "Believe me, when we got dragged into this we were ready to do all it took to keep the people we care about out of it."

"She's right" Stefan's gaze held Matt's for a moment. "I still blame myself for ruining your lives sometimes." His face fell a bit and Elena's heart cringed.

"It's not your fault" she said quietly and took his hand.

"If it's anybody's fault, it's Damon's" Caroline murmured and all of them chuckled. Bonnie's cheer sounded a bit forced though nobody noticed.

"Speaking of him," Bonnie turned to Stefan. "How is he?"

"Fine, I guess" Stefan was thoughtful for a moment then said. "Listen Bonnie, there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sure"

"The other night Damon tried taking vervain but it burned him as if he was still a vampire. Have you heard of something like that before?"

The astonishment on Bonnie's face told him that she hadn't.

"I am sorry Stefan. I can go through my Gram's books and tell you if I find anything."

"Yeah, thank you." Stefan nodded.

"Wait a moment" Matt was obviously thinking hard. "If he can't take vervain, how is he going to avoid compulsion?"

"He can't" Stefan had bowed his head. "I am trying to keep my distance."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked worried.

"We spoke to Alaric and he suggested I stood away from Damon for a while. You know, him being human and my cravings and so on..." he seemed embarrassed.

"I'll look for some other form of protection" Bonnie promised for everyone's surprise. "Bye, everyone" and she headed to her car.

"So" Matt seemed ready to celebrate "What are we doing?" he turned to Caroline.

"Well," her expression was naughty "I have a few ideas..."

"Why don't you come to my place?" Elena offered to Stefan.

He thought for a moment and nodded.

...

Ric finished sorting the papers and was getting ready to start marking when his phone suddenly rang.

"How's it going, Ric?" Damon's voice sounded on the other end of the line. "Done with torturing the teenage population of Mystic Falls?"

"Yeah," Ric chuckled. "I am done torturing them. Now I am ready to start torturing myself. How are you doing?"

"I am terribly bored. And it is your fault, actually. I don't know what you told my brother to scare him so much but he refuses to stay in the same room with me for more than five minutes." Damon's voice sounded frustrated. "And I have no one to talk to."

"Too bad" Ric smiled as he could practically see Damon pouting in his mind. "Listen, I am rather busy right now but I can come over tonight and make it up to you. As far as I got it Stefan's staying at Elena's tonight."

"Great! I'll just succumb to madness all afternoon then."

"I can of course leave you to your madness..."

"Alright, alright, I got it. See you later."

The line went dead. Ric couldn't help but laugh at Damon's antics. With the former vampire so irritable tonight was bound to be fun.

...

Damon sighed and threw the cell on the couch in frustration. Ever since Stefan had bitten him, everyone was treating him as if he was going to break apart any second. It was terribly annoying and inconvenient considering the fact that Klaus could be back with his cronies any moment now. Every time he tried to talk to Elena or Caroline he saw pity and concern written on their faces and that got his blood boiling.

Stefan wasn't helping much with his refusal to stay in one room with him for long. Damon was ready to practically beg him on bended knee to hear what he had to say about Klaus but Stefan would simply not listen. As much as Damon appreciated Ric's concern over his safety, he was very close to ripping his head off for the advice he had given Stefan. Or he would have if he was still the big bad vampire. Now all he could do was be annoyed and bored.

He sighed with frustration once more and resigned to the fact he'd spend yet another boring afternoon all alone. His feet carried him to the library on their own accord. He had found out that time passed more quickly if he was absorbed in a book and he thought he might as well kill the few hours before Ric came that way. Soon he was sprawled in his favourite chair with the heavy book propped open in his lap. Before he knew it he had drifted off to sleep...

...

When he woke up later on he couldn't figure out what had awoken him at first. Then the sound came again and Damon recognized it: a knock on the door. Thinking that perhaps Ric had taken pity on him and decided to come by earlier he rushed to the front door and opened it sharply. The man who stood outside was not the history teacher though. When he realised who was standing in front of him Damon took an involuntary step backwards and reached to close the door. His eyes met those of the man and he realised what a horrible mistake that was. He tried to look away but it was too late.

"You are going to invite me in" the familiar voice said calmly.

"Come in" Damon heard his own voice say though his whole being screamed against it.

When the man stepped over the threshold his eyes looked down and the influence he had over Damon was broken. Even though he was almost unconscious with fear the former vampire seized his chance and ran for it.

He didn't get the chance to make it far though. Just as his shaking hand was reaching for the handle of the door leading to the back garden he felt two arms grabbing him from behind and dragging him back in the large living room. He thought that he didn't stand a chance and the last thing he felt before he blacked out was the sharp pain of teeth at his neck.

...

Ric was in an excellent mood when he pulled up in the Salvatore boarding house parking lot. The results from the finals had surprised him pleasantly and he was satisfied with his students. The evening promised to be good too. The history teacher had to admit to himself that even though he had come to town in order to find and kill Damon Salvatore, now that he knew him he had started to develop a soft spot for the former vampire.

He reached to the seat beside him and took the box of take away he had picked for dinner and headed to the front door. He frowned slightly when he found it open and he cautiously stepped inside. At first he thought it was a prank Damon intended on pulling on him as a revenge but the house was too quiet for his liking.

He abandoned the box on the dresser next to the door and reached in his pocket. His fingers closed around the stake he kept there and he slowly entered further into the darkening house.

"Damon" he called as softly as he dared.

Dread crawled over him as nobody answered. Alaric stood still listening intently for any sound that might give away any intruder but all was quiet. He entered the living room thinking he might as well check the house for any trace of what happened to Damon before he called Stefan. A dark shape in front of the fireplace caught his attention. He headed to it and stopped dead in his tracks as he realised what it was.

Damon was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor a small pool of blood gathering under him.

"Damon!" Alaric rushed forward and turned the former vampire on his back, his fingers immediately searching the pulse point on his bloody neck. When he sensed the slow beating of Damon's heart he let the breath he hadn't even realised he was holding.

Alaric pulled the unconscious body up on the couch and rushed to the kitchen. When he returned with towels and water he inspected the wounds and sighed with relief once again. They were bleeding hard and were bound to hurt a lot but none of them was really serious. Whoever had attacked Damon like that hadn't hit an artery and that had saved Damon's life.

Alaric used one of the towels to press the wound in a attempt to staunch the bleeding and thought hard. He couldn't take Damon to hospital because there was no way that could pass for an animal attack. And he couldn't possibly call the police since that would lead to too many question from Sheriff Forbes, questions none of them could answer. He wasn't left with a lot of options to choose from. His best choice was to call Stefan but Alaric was cautious with that.

What if it was Stefan who had attacked Damon? With Stefan's cravings barely in control it was highly probable. The towel in his hand was getting soaked and Alaric rushed in the kitchen to look for the first aid kit he himself had left there. He run back to the living room and bandaged Damon's neck as tightly as he dared. The former vampire's face seemed ghostly pale in contrast with the white bandage and the blood splattered on his cheeks. Ric took the clean he had brought and carefully washed the blood away still wondering what to do. After all if the attacker was not Stefan he deserved to know what had happened to his brother.

Still deep in thought he absentmindedly brushed the wet towel across Damon's eyes. At that Damon moaned and his eyelids fluttered open. He looked at Ric with confusion and gasped:

"He's back"

"Who's back, Damon? Was it Stefan who attacked you? Or Klaus?" Alaric asked hurriedly. But Damon's eyes were closed and he had passed out again.

Ric shook his head in frustration and reached for his cell. Guilty or not, he had to call Stefan. He answered on the third ring and Elena's chuckle sounded beside him.

"What's up Ric?" Stefan sounded relaxed.

"I need you to come here immediately" Ric ordered harshly.

"What's wrong? Shall I bring Elena with me?" Stefan seemed to have realised something bad was going on.

"Just come quickly. And leave Elena out of it!" Ric hung up and turned his attention back to Damon.

...

Stefan arrived only minutes after Ric called him and rushed immediately in the living room. Even without the grim expression the history teacher was wearing, the smell of blood told him what had happened.

"What the hell's going on?" Stefan asked as he knelt by the couch.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Ric answered coldly.

Stefan shook his head.

"I was at Elena's all afternoon." he looked at his unconscious brother. "What do we do now?"

"We can't take him to the hospital. We have no cover story." Ric sighed. "The bleeding has almost stopped but he is weak. Can't you probably give him some blood."

Stefan shook his head.

"With all the blood that he's lost I am afraid I might accidentally turn him. Beside, after the effect vervain had on him, I am not sure I would dare to give him blood."

Ric nodded. He was about to suggest they took Damon to his room to rest, when the former vampire opened his eyes once again and looked around. He was pale but his gaze was more focused than before.

"What happened?"Ric asked softly.

But Damon turned to Stefan, his gaze so intense Stefan felt a shiver run down his spine.

"He's back" Damon whispered hoarsely.

"Who are you talking about?" Stefan stared wide eyed at his brother. "Did Klaus attack you?"

"No" Damon slowly shook his head. "Father's back."

The three words were followed by deafening silence. Then:

"It's impossible!" Stefan shouted. "I watched him die. I killed him!"

"It was him, Stef" Damon replied quietly. "I am sure of it."

"No" Stefan didn't want to believe it. "It couldn't have been him. He's dead. But even if he's not... Why would he attack you?"

"Because he wants me dead" Damon answered softly.

"But..."

At that moment Alaric who had been quiet throughout the exchange cleared his throat.

"Whoever it was, they are invited in. Which means Damon is not safe here"

"Where do you suggest I go?" Damon asked tiredly. "He compelled me to invite him in"

"My flat" Ric answered quietly. "At least for the time being. Stefan and I will use the Gilbert watch to search for the vampire. And in the meanwhile you'll be safe."

"He might be compelled again" Stefan pointed out.

"We'll see" Ric answered fiercely as he helped Damon up. "Come on"

...

Half an hour later they had arrived at Ric's loft and settled Damon on the couch. Stefan had rushed back to the boarding house to get his brother some clothes and as Ric had pointed out some food. Damon was rather dizzy and wavered in and out of consciousness. Alaric looked over his shoulder and picked up his cell.

Bonnie answered sounding a little confused.

"What is it Ric?"

"Listen, Bonnie," in the next minutes Ric told her everything that had happened in the past hour. "Stefan told me you've promised to think of another form of protection and I was wondering how's that coming out?" he concluded.

"I came across something that might turn out useful" Bonnie admitted. "I'll come over and we can give it a shot. If it doesn't work, I'll stay with Damon." she offered.

"Thanks a lot, Bonnie"Ric sighed with relief.

...

By the time Bonnie arrived Stefan had returned and both him and Ric waited the little witch. Stefan seemed little surprised by Ric's decision to call Bonnie and Ric did not elaborate since he preferred to keep that conversation with Damon secret.

"Okay" Bonnie said and she pulled out a small leather pouch and the familiar knife. "This is an amulet spell" she said and she bravely cut a lock of her dark curls.

She then used the knife to prick Damon's finger and let the drop fall onto the lock.

Stefan and Alaric looked at her with confusion and expectation as she quietly chanted under her nose and slipped the lock in the leather pouch. Then she tied it shut with a string and slipped it around Damon's neck.

"Ready"she declared. "My hair has my power therefore it can help to resist compulsion. The blood binds a bit of my power to Damon."she explained.

"Did it work?" Stefan asked worriedly.

"I can wake him up" Bonnie offered.

Stefan nodded. The young witch reached to the former vampire's forehead and gently touched him. He moaned and opened his eyes. Without warning Stefan gazed at his brother and ordered:

"Get up"

Damon looked first confused and then angry

"How dare you..."

"It worked" Ric pointed out.

Damon stopped in mid sentence

"What worked?"

"Bonnie made you an amulet to protect you from being compelled. It's only polite to say "thanks"" Ric was almost smirking at Damon's confused expression. He was ready to bet Damon had not even noticed Bonnie was there. He looked at her and his eyes widened.

"T-Thank you" he managed to say.

Bonnie smiled .

"Alright" Ric rose to his feet. "Let's go get that vampire"

Stefan nodded and followed him. At the door he turned to look at Bonnie.

"I'll stay" she said.

He frowned but nodded and left.

Outside Ric headed to his car.

"I'll go pack some stuff from my office."

"I'll go to warn Elena. Tell her what happened. She'd be worried." Stefan replied. "I'll meet you at the boarding house tomorrow."

Ric nodded and drove off.

...

Later on when he returned the boarding house was empty and dark. Stefan walked slowly around thinking about Damon had said. It couldn't have been their father. It simply was not possible. Damon was probably seeing things.

A knock on the door attracted his attention. Heading carefully towards it, he reached and opened it a crack. Then he gasped and pulled the door wide open.

"Hello, Stefan" a familiar voice greeted. "It's good to see you at last."

Stefan's jaw dropped.

"Father" he managed to gasp.

**Please review! I appreciate your opinion.**

6


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own the VD.** If I did Alaric would still be alive.

Chapter 9

Bonnie scoffed angrily pushing the annoying Maths problem aside. She had no chance of coping with that in time for the test and the imminent failure drove her nuts. She was still at Alaric's loft. After he had spoken to her late last night to tell her Stefan hadn't called him back as promised and they knew nothing about Damon's attacker, she had used her magic to put the former vampire in a deep sleep and drove home for her books. For some reason unknown, she had promised Ric she'd keep an eye on Damon and she might as well use her vigil to get some work done. Not that it had gotten her anywhere.

"_There is no chance I pass this" _she thought desperately. Even her witchcraft couldn't help her. She buried her head in her arms sobbing quietly.

"You alright, Bonnie?" a hoarse voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. "I am sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." Damon added as he approached the couch tiredly.

Bonnie looked up and thought that he seemed worse than he sounded but instead she just asked timidly:

"How do you feel?"

"I've been better" Damon admitted. His eyes had a feverish glow. "What's bothering you?" he persisted.

Bonnie sighed again.

"I'll fail my Maths final" she finally said out loud.

Damon didn't answer immediately. Instead, he just stared at her, cuddled on the couch, eyes shining with unshed tears, looking so fragile and childlike. _"She is a child"_ he reminded himself. Then he smiled:

"I believe we could remedy that. Let me see those" he held out his hand.

Bonnie frowned slightly but still handed over her book. Damon skimmed through the text and shook his head.

"Sorry to disappoint you but it's not difficult at all. Here, look..."

...

Not more than an hour later Bonnie did one last calculation and compared her answer to the one in the textbook with an incredulous look on her face. Damon sat at her side smiling at her disbelief.

"It's correct!" Bonnie exclaimed. "I can't believe it. I did it. I won't fail the test next week!"

"Told you it wasn't difficult" Damon was grinning broadly.

"I... I wouldn't have made it without you!" the young witch exclaimed again. "Thank you!" and she threw herself at the former vampire.

Caught by surprise Damon found himself pinned to the couch with Bonnie almost sprawled in his lap. Then her arms came around his neck and he couldn't hold back his gasp of pain.

Bonnie pulled away immediately.

"I am sorry!" she cried. "I didn't mean to!" her hand touched Damon's forehead.

"You are feverish" she concluded. "I think you'd better get back to bed."

The fact that he didn't protest just proved how bad he was feeling. He stood up and held out his arm.

"Come stay with me" he nearly begged. "I don't feel like being alone."

Bonnie rose and followed him.

...

When he was settled in Alaric's bed, sheets pulled up to his chin, Bonnie finally dared to ask.

"Why do you think it was your father who attacked you last night?"

"I know what I saw" he answered.

"Stefan seems to find it impossible"

"There are many things Stefan knows nothing of" Damon pointed out.

"But why? Why would your own father want to kill you?" Bonnie crawled next to Damon on the bed.

She instinctively knew he wasn't telling her all there was to tell.

He looked at her narrowing his eyes.

"It's a long story."

"I am not in a hurry" Bonnie propped herself on her elbow.

Damon sighed and turned to look at the ceiling.

"I guess it all started with my mother's death..."

His voice was quiet and slow and it carried Bonnie in a different world.

"My father loved her and since I looked a lot like her he didn't want me around. He started saying I was nothing but trouble and that he wasn't my real father. I was a child back then, around seven years old and I didn't understand what I did wrong. Stefan was just a baby. He has no memory of this.

Anyway, at first I blamed him for my loss because my mother never fully recovered after she gave birth to him. I didn't want to see him or know anything about him and I hid from my father."

"I can't believe that there was a time when you and Stefan were the best of friends." Bonnie chuckled.

Damon just huffed.

"If you had told me I would love him more than anything back then I wouldn't have believed it either.

My father didn't know what to do with a baby and he hired a nurse but she was lazy and negligent and Stefan cried a lot. And so it happened that one day I passed the room where his cot was placed and I heard he was wailing again. I peered around but the room was empty. He was left on his own. That was the moment when I realised Stefan had lost as much as I had, maybe even more cause he was helpless and without his mom. It was the pity that drove me to the cot and made me pick him up. To my greatest surprise, he stopped crying and smiled at me as though he knew me. That smile captured my heart. From that day on, I started taking care of him. None seemed to protest and so it happened that the first word he said was my name and it was my hand that guided his first few steps. I knew all of his secrets and he always came to me when he was afraid or worried."

"So that's how it works!" Bonnie exclaimed. "You know everything about Stefan but he doesn't know anything about you!"

"I tried to shield him from everything and we were inseparable. I guess my father was getting jealous but I didn't care back then. All I cared about was Stefan cause he was my world."

Damon stopped for a moment. He had a far away look on his face and he seemed lost in his own memories. Bonnie didn't dare break the silence in fear of him changing his mind and not telling her the truth. After all, they were almost enemies a little while ago.

"Anyway, everything started when Stefan and several of our servants' children were playing with a ball in the house. There was this huge portrait of my mom over the mantelpiece and my father valued it a lot. I don't know who did it, but one of the boys had managed to hit it with the ball. When I came home that afternoon, they were all terrified. I sent Stefan to his room and shooed the others away. When my father appeared, I told him I had damaged the portrait because I knew he would be furious and I wanted to keep Stefan away from harm. I don't think he believed me though. He just turned on his heel and left."

"Oh, God" Bonnie whispered. "Did he punish Stefan?"

"No. I listened closely and when he approached Stefan's room later that night, I intercepted him at the door. Stefan had suffered enough. He was so distraught and anxious that it wasn't necessary for him to be further reprimanded."

"And your father listened to you?" Bonnie asked incredulously.

Damon smiled ruefully.

"Of course not. He was drunk and angry. He said someone had to pay. I remember his exact words to this day: "It's either you or your brother. Your choice." What could I have done?"

"Nothing" Bonnie whispered terrified.

"He used my love for Stefan against me and I took the blame on many an occasion after that. I made sure Stefan never knew. It hurt though, because Stefan loved our father and even criticized me for my lack of respect."

"But that is still not a reason for him to want you dead."

"Well, I made sure I was a pain in the ass for him. But the real reason is that I planned to run away and take Stefan with me."

"You what?" Bonnie couldn't believe what she heard.

"Yeah" Damon chuckled. "One day I decided I'd had enough and I made my mind to leave. But I couldn't leave my baby brother behind. The problem was that I needed money. I didn't want to deprive Stefan of anything – normal life, school and so on. And he wanted to be a doctor and well, it was kind of expensive..."

"What went wrong?" Damon smiled when Bonnie asked.

"My father found my savings. He immediately knew what I needed that much money for and he was livid. Stefan was his favourite, his pride and I was about to steal him all for myself. That was when my father decided I was too much of a problem and I had to be dealt with. But he couldn't do it himself or pay for it. The town was small, he was one of the founders, it was bound to come out. So he sent me to war and told me I would do better not to return."

"But you came back?"

"Yes, I came back for Stefan. He kept on mentioning that Katherine woman in his letters and I decided that if she was the love of my brother's life I had to get to know her. And she was beautiful indeed. Stefan hadn't lied about that. But there was something off about her from the beginning. The mere fact that my father had brought her home put me on guard."

"And then you found out she was a vampire?"

"Yes, and then I found out what she was. It was an accident. I overheard Pearl and her talking. The truth terrified me and I refused to believe it but everything somehow made sense. And then my blood ran cold. That thing, that woman, she wanted my brother. That was when I knew she wanted to turn him."

Damon sighed. He looked tired and pale and he fought to keep his eyes open. Bonnie knew it would be better if she put him to sleep with one of her spells but she wanted to hear the end. It all sounded strange but the pieces somehow seemed to fit together. He took a deep breath and started speaking again.

"I didn't know what to do. I couldn't tell my father. I thought he would never believe me. How was I supposed to know what he and John Gilbert were at? The only thing I could come up with to save my brother was to make her want me instead. I didn't want to be a vampire but if one of us had to be turned, it was better to be me. Stefan wouldn't have made it as a vampire."

"You tried to seduce a 500 years old vampire?" Bonnie was astounded.

"She wasn't 500." Damon weakly protested.

"Don't change the subject" Bonnie scoffed.

"Alright. Yeah, I guess that's what I tried to do." Damon chuckled. "It didn't work though, as you know."

"Katherine made you believe she loved you" Bonnie pointed out dully. It had all started to make sense.

"Yes, and I desperately wanted to be loved."

"You still do."

Damon looked sideways at her but didn't argue.

"You know the rest" he said through a yawn.

Bonnie nodded and laid her head next to his on Alaric's pillow. Her head was spinning.

"I don't have to tell you that Stefan mustn't know a word of all this, right?" he whispered sleepily.

"I won't tell him" she promised. "But you must."

...

Stefan stood at the doorway of the boarding house and stared with disbelief. This couldn't be true. All these years he had spent blaming himself for his father's death only to find out now that his father wasn't dead. Well, maybe only technically...

"Stefan" his father sounded both happy and surprised. "My boy"

"Damon" Stefan said. "He did meet you, didn't he?"

His father's shoulders drooped.

"Such an unfortunate situation" he hesitated. "I didn't know of his transformation. If I did, I wouldn't have dared to approach the house. I have a problem with blood but I don't think you'd understand..."

"I understand" Stefan said quickly. "I kind of have a problem myself. But Damon said you had compelled him to invite you in."

"Compelled? No, no, he invited in and we talked. Made amends actually and then we hugged. Up until that moment, I managed to keep myself under control but then... I was so ashamed I ran away. And now I come back to ask forgiveness. How's Damon? I hope he wouldn't be so angry as to not want to talk to me. Let me see him."

"He, he is not here" Stefan hesitated. He desperately wished what his father said to be true. "We took him to one of our friends' flat."

"Well, can't we have him back" his father asked impatiently. "I want to make it right. I want us to be family again after all these years."

Stefan hesitated.

"If you can't control yourself..."

"You'll help me. You'll teach me" his father looked at him again. "I missed you, my son."

"I'll get Damon" Stefan decided.

...

It was the knock on the door that brought Damon back to consciousness. He was vaguely aware on the young witch sleeping soundly on the pillow next to him. Careful not to wake her up he slipped out of bed and went to open the door. Stefan's anxious face greeted him on the outside.

"How are you feeling?" Stefan asked worriedly.

Damon groaned.

"I am fine, baby bro" he answered sarcastically. "What has got you so wound up?"

"Father came to see me" Damon's eyes widened at that. "No, listen, he said that attacking you was an accident. He wants us to be family again. He is worried about you and has the same problem with blood as me."

"Did you real believe that?" Damon asked tiredly.

"Why are you so prejudiced? Why don't you want us to be happy?"

"His presence won't make me happy, Stef. It will get me dead." Damon sighed.

"He said he didn't want to!" Stefan stared at his brother imploringly. "Can't you give him another chance?" he waited a second. "I promise you will be safe."

Damon just stood facing his brother with his puppy dog eyes and wondered what to do. But he knew very well that he was hardly capable of refusing anything to Stefan. He sighed again and said:

"I'll just leave a note to Bonnie. She'd be worried."

Stefan nodded.

...

Damon left the small piece of paper that explained what had happened next to Bonnie's head and he wondered if he'd ever see the young witch again. He found he regretted he might not. Ric's smirking remark that he was probably in love swam in his mind and he leaned forward and gently placed a kiss on her hair. She sighed in her sleep and turned over. Damon quietly left the room.

...

Katherine took a deep breath and entered the hotel room.

"Well?" Klaus was waiting for her.

"I found him, love" she said. "The plan is set in motion."

"Good" he smirked. "Come here, my love, I missed you."

Katherine shuddered as she approached the bed.

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